Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav.
Uttar Pradesh is about to hold by-elections for 10 assembly seats. This by-election will be a litmus test for India’s block unity. The Indian bloc won over 40 seats in the Lok Sabha elections. Therefore, the BJP cannot achieve a majority in Parliament on its own. All eyes are now on the by-election. However, in Uttar Pradesh, an agreement has been reached between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, two allies of the Indian bloc, on the allocation of seats for the by-elections. The Congress has staked its claim to contest five of the 10 seats. But the Samajwadi Party is not satisfied with this.
Both the Congress and Samajwadi Party leaders have said they aim to defeat the BJP and are confident of fighting two by-elections together.
The assembly seats subject to by-elections are: Ghaziabad, Mazwan (Mirzapur), Shishmaur (Kanpur city), Kher (Aligarh), Kethari (Ambedkar Nagar) , Kalhar (Maipuri), Mirkipur (Ayodhya), Mirapur (Muzaffarnagar) ), Phulpur (Prayagraj) and Kundarki (Moradabad).
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Of these, nine seats have become vacant after members were elected in the Lok Sabha elections, while by-elections are being held for the Shishmau parliamentary seat due to the disqualification of Socialist Party MP Irfan Solanki, who was convicted in a criminal case.
Dispute between Congress and Socialist Party over seat allocation
Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai said the party has organized two meetings in all 10 assembly seats. Ten supervisors and persons in charge have been appointed.
He said they would jointly contest the elections. Both aim to defeat the BJP. The Congress party has proposed to lead the elections to five assembly seats: Phulpur (Allahabad), Ghaziabad, Majhiwar (Mirzapur), Khair (Aligarh) and Mirapur ( Muzaffarnagar). The BJP won these seats.
Congress gains five seats
The Samajwadi Party won the seats of Karhal, Milkipur, Sisamau, Katehari and Kundarki in the 2022 assembly elections; while Ghaziabad, Majhivan, Phulpur and Kahil were elected MLAs of the BJP. Meerapur seat was won by RLD.
Meanwhile, SP chief spokesperson and state secretary Rajendra Chaudhary said that they are fully prepared for the elections. India Block will win all 10 seats. On the issue of seat distribution and Congress’ demand for five seats, Chaudhry said only the party leadership would take a decision.
